CINEMA-JAMAICA: Jamiaca Awards its First “Oscars”

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Howard Campbell

KINGSTON, Nov 10 1998 (IPS) - Jamaica’s movie and television industry, after years of playing second fiddle to the music and theatre world, finally had their night of stars recently with the first Hollwyood Oscar-style awards for cinema stalwarts.

Called the “Doctor Bird” awards – they went to 14 leaders of the acting and musical fraternity and others involved in making mocies for the cinema and TV.

Among personalities honoured were reggae superstar Jimmy Cliff, record-industry magnate Chris Blackwell and Perry Henzell whose name is synonymous with the cult movie classic, “The Harder They Come.”

At 61, Henzell virtually is still an unknown in Jamaica although he has received awards from all over the world. He noted in his acceptance speech that being appreciated in his own country made the latest accolade that more special.

“It’s a good thing, the time is right,” he said, “Lennie should be congratulated.”

“Lennie” is Leonard Little-White, a leading Jamaican cinematographer who conceived the Doctor Bird Awards, named after Jamaica’s national bird. Little-White’s company, the Kingston- based Mediamix Ltd. is celebrating its silver anniversary this month, hence the decision to initiate the awards ceremony – to be held bi-annually.

Describing the Doctor Bird Awards as a “Hall Of Fame more than anything else,” Little-White says the function is his way of saying thanks to the pioneers who paved the way for film-makers like himself.

Henzell heads that list which also includes St Lucia-born cinematographer Chappy St Juste, producer/scriptwriters Evan Jones and Carey Robinson; and production man Wycliffe Bennett. Comic personality Oliver Samuels, who has played a perennial role in Jamaican theatre, also walked away with a Doctor Bird Award.

Like Henzell, others close to the film community believe such recognition is long overdue. Trevor Rhone, who co-wrote the script for “The Harder They Come” with Henzell, is one of them.

“I think it’s very timely, I’ve received several awards so personally I’ve been rewarded for my work,” Rhone pointed out. “But people like to feel appreciated and it’s good for us.”

Film and drama critic Michael Reckord added his voice. “I welcome the recognition because the theatre and musicians have been getting awards for years,” Reckord stated. “Now the spectrum is covered.”

The Doctor Bird Awards were not restricted only to Jamaica-reared actors and directors. Others with ties to the country like actors Sheryl Lee Ralph, Delroy Lindo and Carl Lumbly were nominated.

At present a member of the cast of the hit American comedy “Moesha,” Ralph has appeared in several noted films and television series since the 1970s.

Lindo, born in England of Jamaican parents, has been a fixture in Spike Lee’s films including the epic “Malcolm X,” while Jamaican- born Lumbly made a name for himself in the longrunning American series “Cagney and Lacey.”

Their success has not been matched by their homegrown colleagues who have struggled to maintain viability in a country that has not been receptive to recent local productions.

That has hurt Jamaican film-makers, especially Rhone and Henzell. After hitting it big in the Caribbean and ethnic theatres in the United States with the comedy “Smile Orange” Rhone went on to win a Genie Award (the Canadian equivalent of the Oscar) in the mid- 1980s for the movie “Milk And Honey.”

But Rhone’s work in the theatre has always found more recognition than his film projects which have been stalled due to lack of funding a stumbling block for other film-makers like Henzell who introduced Jamaica and its rude boy culture to an international audience with “The Harder They Come.”

Other Henzell projects have failed to leave the ground because of the sceptical nature of Jamaican investors weary of the numerous mediocre projects that have been produced in recent years. As a result, the local film industry has become dormant.

Jones, who set the stage in the early years of the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation television station, has fared better. A resident in England for nearly three decades, he was has been honoured by the British monarchy as one of that country’s top film- makers.

People like Evan Jones remain unknown in the land of their birth but there is hope that with the advent of the Doctor Bird Awards, that will all change. Michael Reckord believes it will.

“The film industry is the youngest of the arts sector in Jamaica so it was only natural there would be some time before recognition came,” he said. “But Im glad that time has arrived.”

CINEMA-JAMAICA: Jamiaca Awards its First “Oscars”

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Howard Campbell

KINGSTON, Nov 10 1998 (IPS) - Jamaica’s movie and television industry, after years of playing second fiddle to the music and theatre world, finally had their night of stars recently with the first Hollwyood Oscar-style awards for cinema stalwarts.
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